Money. It’s one of the top three causes of conflict in relationships. It’s a subject that can drive a debilitating wedge between two people who, otherwise, are perfectly in tune with each other. To keep the peace in your relationship, follow the three Cs of financial harmony, provided by BALANCE—a financial fitness program available to members at no cost to you. Simply call 1-888-456- 2227 for more tips.
- Communicate: Start by talking about your individual money styles. What do you like about the other person’s attitude toward money? What parts of your partner’s money personality don’t you like? You might tell an over-spender you like his spontaneity and generosity, but you fear he will neglect important financial goals unless he sticks to a budget.
- Compromise: Having expressed your concerns about current behavior, discuss the facts surrounding the situation. What are each partner’s goals? Start moving toward the middle, with each person making certain concessions that bring the team closer together.
- Commit: In the interest of saving an otherwise good relationship, you may have to change the way you have been doing things. Change is not easy—it takes commitment. You may even want to separate finances completely. If there are good reasons to keep some of your money together, make arrangements that require both partners’ approval before money is withdrawn or keep the balances low enough that one person’s indiscretion won’t damage your overall financial health or the health of your relationship.